Depressed and Anxious my story

Hi @heh ,

I wish i could answer when you will feel better! I think everyone is affected differently.

I have been learning a lot about medication tapering these past few months, especially talking with my forum-friend @Cuddlebear about their experience.

I will very soon be starting to taper off my antidepressants which i have been on for 15 years. I know i might get withdrawal symptoms, but of course cannot predict how severe or whch ones.

I did find reading the RELEASE toolkit resources really helpful though, to understand better how to taper more slowly and what effects people often do experience. And importantly --- slow is OK!! Actually slow is best, if you have time to do it slow.

I will have only 6-8 weeks to taper myself, instead of the recommended 40 weeks. 😬. But if my effects are too severe for my depression symptoms i can be referred to a private MH hospital thankfully. But i really hope i dont need to be!

I know my forum friends will be here with me through it, and we will also be here for you through yours if you would like. 🥰😊🤗.

Hey @heh! Welcome to the forums.

I'm glad that you have found this corner of the internet and that you've felt able to post. Trialling new medications can be so uncomfortable and stressful. That's a shame to hear those new meds didn't work out like you and your doctor had hoped. It can definitely take some time to feel "normal" again after an experience like this. But continuing to check in with your doctor and look after yourself sounds like a good way to keep you headed in the right direction.

I hope that you will feel the support of the community during this time. I'm sure there are other forum members who can relate!

Looking forward to seeing you around on the forums! 

Take care.

My tapering was 3days half tablet then 3 days nothing way too short

Wow that is a very quick taper @heh ! Was there a reason that it needed to be done so quickly? 🤔

If you do wish to try tapering off again, you could discuss with your GP about if you can take it slower to help your body and mind adjust.

Depending on the tablets, sometimes you can cut them smaller or even disolve them to get more presice smaller doses -- but always ask the doctor about this first of course! I did learn from the RELEASE toolkit some methods for.different medications to enable smaller dose tapers than what they come in commercially.

How have the few days been for you?

@heh Wow that is way way too fast.

Im in the midst of a brutal taper. The best way to taper is called hyperbolic tapering. It’s the most up to date science. Most GP and psychiatrists ignore it desputw it being endorsed as best practice in Australia and around the world.

https://www.racgp.org.au/clinical-resources/clinical-guidelines/guidelines-by-topic/view-all-guidelines-by-topic/preventive-health/the-maudsley-deprescribing-guidelines

Oh, I forgot to mention to you @Cuddlebear , when I met with my friend the other day - we also discussed medication tapering as she has been doing it over the past year. I was so glad to hear she had looked into it herself also and researched and found those hyperbolic tapering guidelines also. 😊. She found the "traditional" halving-each-week-or-two to be too rapid and harmful also.

Wondering how you are going @heh. (no pressure, just letting you know you are not forgotten)